


Last Minute

by NedrynWrites



Category: Dragon Quest Series, Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Happy Ending, Hero | Luminary is Named Eleven | El (Dragon Quest XI), Love Confessions, M/M, Making Out, Mute Hero | Luminary (Dragon Quest XI), Near Death Experiences, Whoniverse | Doctor Who Universe, wow is that the au tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:36:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24510919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NedrynWrites/pseuds/NedrynWrites
Summary: Stuck on a planet, hunted by daleks, with no rescue and no way out, Erik says something he should have said long ago.
Relationships: Camus | Erik/Hero | Luminary (Dragon Quest XI)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 30





	Last Minute

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for the prompt Addy! I hope you like this! 
> 
> Eleven is mute and uses sign language, depicted within apostrophes.
> 
> Rated Teen for many swears.
> 
> If you aren't familiar with Doctor Who all you really need to know is that the TARDIS is a time machine that's bigger on the inside and if you visualize Daleks as killing machines that are constantly screaming "exterminate" you've basically got the right picture.

Erik didn’t need a reminder that his life was in danger. He could very well remember he and Eleven were being chased  _ without _ the shouts calling for their deaths. 

Surely the Daleks, a group self-praised for their advancement and superiority, wouldn’t forget that they needed to kill the pair. The thought they’d start cruising along and then be like,  _ oh right, exterminate, _ would have made Erik snicker in any other situation. As it was, sprinting long distances was hard enough when Erik could hear himself think. 

Just as Erik’s legs started to scream in protest, Eleven pointed out the hill. Gemma would be on the other side, her ship’s doors wide open. She had to be. 

Erik stumbled over a rock. He would have fallen, if not for Eleven’s quick reflexes and steady hand. 

He was always doing that. Always saving Erik at the risk of his own life. Saving them all. Erik would be hypocritical to scold him for it; he did it too. Eleven didn’t need to know that it was with him, especially. 

Losing one of his friends… one of the many who latched onto Gemma, whose loneliness outweighed her better judgement, as she said — Erik couldn’t bear the thought. They were all so precious to him. Even Veronica, even Hendrik, though he’d take that little tidbit to his grave. 

It wasn’t as though he’d never thought about it. They traveled through space and time, saving lives, facing one new threat after another. And Erik might be fine. Eventually. 

But Eleven was different. Erik would never recover if he saw him die. 

It was just how he was. He didn’t fall fast, but he fell hard, and when he was in love with someone, there wasn’t any length he wouldn’t go for them. He didn’t care if Eleven felt the same or didn’t. He’d learned from that mistake long ago. All he wanted was to stay by his side. 

They were still holding hands. 

Erik wished he could revel in it. He almost wished he could bring himself to be embarrassed. But as he tugged Eleven under a blaster shot, all he could find was relief. Eleven was with him. And as much as Erik  _ should _ wish that Eleven was safe with the others on the TARDIS, his presence was grounding. They were going to make it. As long as they were together. 

They reached the top of the hill. 

Gemma wasn’t there. 

“No!” Erik shouted, only continuing forward by momentum. What was the point of delaying his death, after all? 

Eleven’s hand tightened in his grip. Right, that was why. 

Erik scanned the surroundings, looking for  _ anything _ they could use to shake their pursuers. 

A cave. He couldn’t tell from where he was, running down the hill, how deep it would go. If it was shallow, if it had no winding, splitting paths, he’d be leading them to their deaths. But there was no other option. 

He dragged Eleven into the planet’s maw. 

The further they went, the quieter their pursuers' voices grew. The shouts became confused, frustrated. Their steps were silent, those who chased them very much not. 

The threat of being shot down gave way to the threat of getting lost down here forever. 

An underground labyrinth, hopelessly confusing and endlessly turning, of course the creatures couldn’t find them anymore. Erik couldn’t find  _ himself. _

“I think,” Erik panted, keeping his voice down even though the others had long faded, "I think we gave ‘em the slip.” 

Eleven nodded. His face was flushed from exertion, shimmering with sweat. His hair was stupidly perfect as ever, glimmering like stars in the dim light of the bioluminescence.  _ Not fair. _

Erik let out a long breath, trying to ease his chest, to restore his rhythm. “How are we gonna get out of here?” 

Eleven shrugged. That was odd, considering his mind would normally be going a mile a minute, having traveled with Gemma quite a while longer than any of the others-  _ except you still have his dominant hand captive, idiot! _

Erik dropped his hand with a mumbled apology. Eleven shook his head, shoving the apology back at him. 

‘I doubt we’ll be able to go the way we came in,’ Eleven signed. ‘They don’t give up easy.’ 

Right, if they could rely on Eleven’s near photographic memory, they’d be gone as quick as they came in. 

‘If we tried digging our way to the surface, we’d risk a cave-in, and with how hard the stone is and how deep we are, we’d be old men before we got halfway there.’ Eleven began to pace. ‘The maze method might work, but we don’t know how far these tunnels go, or-’ The rest Erik didn’t see, as Eleven began to walk the other way. 

“What was that last bit?” Erik risked. He hated to interrupt the thought process, but he needed to have all the information if he was going to pitch in at  _ all. _

Eleven turned toward him with an apologetic smile. ‘We don’t know what we might run into. The only thing we know about this planet is that we haven’t died to the gases yet.’ 

“So for all we know, any of these weird glowing plants or even the damn water could kill us.” 

‘Pretty much.’ 

Erik found it harder to breathe, the longer he stood in place. Was it the atmosphere, after all? Did the caves give off dangerous fumes? Was he seconds from death? Or was he just freaking out? 

_ What if I die without ever telling him? _

The thought struck him out of nowhere. He was… perfectly happy being Eleven’s friend. Not  _ just _ friends, there was nothing  _ just _ about it. This wasn’t lesser by any means, and yet… 

It still felt like, the thing that he wanted… was  _ more. _

More physical affection, in the form of longer hugs, kisses, maybe… He shook the next thought away before it could mortify him. More reason to spend downtime together. More allowance for him to bristle when Faris threw his awful flirting Eleven’s way. 

A mechanical sound shook him out of his musings. 

Without thinking, he grabbed Eleven’s hand. Eleven’s head whipped back and forth, trying to find the source of the noise. 

It was almost too late to run. 

A half an inch to the left, and that blaster burn on the glowing moss would have been through Erik’s head instead. They didn’t have time to think, to let the terror set in their veins. They were already moving. 

Erik felt as though the hopelessness would burn him from the inside out. The path sloped ever downward, deeper into the planet’s belly, toward any beasts that might wait for them in the dark. And it was — getting darker, that was. 

The dimming light that guided them had been a lucky break, but it couldn’t last forever. Their path ended, Erik nearly stumbling over a dark ledge. Water rushed below. He didn’t know how far down it was. Or if the liquid — or something in it — would kill them. 

“We’re dead meat,” Erik mumbled. Their pursuers closed in, reveling in the victory rather than going in for the kill. Slowly, he let go of Eleven’s hand and turned toward the drop. Eleven followed his lead. 

They didn’t get shot in the back, and Erik didn’t want to think about that. He knew it meant the drop was certain death. A better way to go, he thought. On their own terms. 

Eleven nodded, as if sharing the unspoken sentiment. Erik could only just see it in the darkness. 

Swallowing past a lump in his throat, Erik forced his words in order. Even now, in their last seconds of life, it was practically impossible to say. Even harder than the jump would be. 

“I…” He took Eleven’s hand again. Eleven clung to him like a lifeline, but there was no pulling him out of the drink this time. “I love you,” he rushed. 

A shaking breath from the other, and Erik realized he’d never get an answer. That was almost worse. He should have told him months ago, when it became too much to handle on his own. 

He should have been a better brother to Mia, a better friend, a better teammate. Maybe in his next life, he’d be lucky enough to get another chance. 

Eleven was the first to move, only just. Yeah, fair. Erik would want to jump off a cliff if he got confessed to by himself, too. 

A rush of darkness, cold air, more regrets going through his mind faster than he could keep up. 

Should have fought. 

Should have surrendered. 

Should have been nicer to Gemma. 

Should have- 

* * *

The first thing he noticed was the splash of water. 

The second, it was warm and still. 

Bright lights. Air. Eleven surfacing next to him. Erik couldn’t help but stare.  _ You’re alive. I’m alive. _

Eleven was the first to look away, and his eyes went wide. When Erik finally tore his gaze away, his did too. 

_ We’re in the library. But… how? _

Erik found himself swimming for the edge of the pool. He’d been in here enough times; it was like second nature even with his soaked clothes weighing him down. Eleven wasn’t as strong of a swimmer, but he made it to the edge all right. He stared up at Erik until he got the hint and helped him out. 

_ Oh fuck, now he knows, _ Erik thought as he pulled him up. He felt nauseous. Didn’t he know better than to try at his last words with Gemma Ex Machina running impossible rescues? 

Still, he couldn’t run anymore. Part of him was glad it was out in the open; at least he’d be able to get over it eventually when Eleven rejected him. He’d let him down gently. 

...Or hard. The way Eleven shoved him to the ground was the opposite of gentle. 

Erik squeezed his eyes closed, preparing to apologize, and possibly get punched. It wasn’t in Eleven’s nature to hurt people but- 

Oh, he couldn’t apologize with something covering his mouth like- 

_ That’s his mouth. On my mouth. _

That was about where his thought process ended. He remembered, vaguely, the sound of dialup that was used in one of his old foster homes. He thought it sounded pretty similar to what was inside his head at that moment. 

He was damn lucky Eleven was patient. And that Eleven knew Erik was a huge idiot. He pulled back with a tentative smile. This time, it was Erik diving for him. 

As he mirrored Eleven’s earlier position, he held Eleven’s head with both hands. It was to protect him from getting bruised by the hard tile, that was all. Certainly not to  _ finally _ get his hands in that perfect hair. It was wet and stringy, not as soft as it looked, but Erik decided he didn’t want his hands anywhere else. 

Eleven had a habit of licking and biting his lips when he would think, leaving them chapped and rough. Still, Erik was hardly going to complain when Eleven applied the very same treatment to Erik’s. The arms that held him up went weak. His weight dropped on the other’s chest, and the closeness made it all the better. 

“Cor, I thought the two a’ you drowned.” 

They broke apart in a clumsy tangle of limbs, out of breath. Despite the embarrassment, Erik didn’t move too far away. 

Gemma sighed. “I should ‘ave known better than to bet against Veronica.” She pointed at the two accusingly. “But ‘snogging after falling off a cliff’? I thought  _ I _ was supposed to be the time lord here. Or did the three of you plan this?” 

They both shook their heads. Really, what could they possibly say?  _ Fuck off, we’re busy _ would be a bit rude considering it was  _ her _ library, not to mention her ship. 

She laughed. “Dry off and get changed before you catch a cold. And  _ get a room!” _

Eleven saluted her sarcastically. He knew she hated that, but Eleven got away with a lot more than he should. Erik bit his still-tingling lip, grabbed Eleven’s raised hand, and dragged him toward their shared room. 

* * *

Whatever boldness Erik might have had fled the second the door slid closed. 

This wasn’t the confession before death dropped any consequences, nor a rushed kiss fueled by adrenaline. The quiet made it real; the permanence made it scary. Mouth dry, he forced himself to look at Eleven. Finding out where, exactly, they’d go from here would be a lot easier if Erik was actually listening to him. 

Eleven looked every bit as uncertain, and went to sit on Erik’s bunk. Eleven’s blanket still hung over the top bunk after they’d rushed out that morning. Normally Eleven was neat, and took the time to painstakingly make his bed every day. He partially obscured his face behind an eevee pattern, now. 

_ Cute… _

Eleven’s timidness wasn’t a side Erik often saw. He knew Eleven was a bit shy, and not quite as chatty with anyone else as he was with Erik. But that face, normally clouded by thoughts, by certainty, by determination… somehow the reluctance to meet Erik’s gaze made Erik want to kiss him until he forgot what he was so nervous about. 

But he looked like he had something to say. All Erik could do was sit by his side and let him gather his thoughts. 

Eleven hadn’t really said it back, but  _ love _ was a bit extreme as it was. Erik got the picture. He knew Eleven wouldn’t use someone’s feelings as an excuse to get physical if he didn’t feel the same. He didn’t need a return confession. That kiss said it all. But Eleven looked determined to do it right. 

‘The thing you said in the cave… did you mean it?’ Eleven gnawed his lip, shifting in place. ‘Romantically? Was it just spur of the moment? Was-’ 

“I meant it.” Eleven looked properly stunned.  _ Like I could just go and  _ not _ fall for you, you brilliant dumbass. _ “I mean it.” 

Eleven wordlessly fiddled with a tear in his trousers before he finally settled on an awkward, ‘Same.’ 

Erik laughed softly. “Seems pretty simple to me, what about you?” He slid closer, bumping their knees. As much as he wanted to hold Eleven’s hand, to run his thumbs over the callused palms and that burn on the back of the left hand Eleven never shared too much about, he wanted to make sure Eleven had said his piece. 

He had. 

He moved closer still, hands finding Erik’s shoulders. Their foreheads pressed together, though Erik couldn’t quite tell who was the one who actually moved. Their breaths mingled. Eleven’s smelled like pool water.  _ Did he swallow some? Oh no, does my breath stink? _

Eleven seemed unbothered and… waiting for something. After recovering from how amazingly close they were, Erik figured out what that was. 

He meant to take the kiss slow. To make it last forever. Despite their dangerous lives, they had all the time in the universe now — heh, literally. But Eleven didn’t seem keen on waiting. 

There was too much tension, and they had to let it out somewhere. Erik would be the last person caught complaining that they took it out on each other’s mouths, and wow, that was a ridiculous way to word it. 

Why was he thinking about this? Or anything? 

Eleven cupped Erik’s cheek, holding his face like he was precious. Erik let out an embarrassing whimper. The bites, the tongues, the hot breaths, that he could take in stride, but being held with all the tenderness one could muster was overwhelming. 

Apparently, the noise was all it took for Eleven to figure that out. His touches grew less frantic, more gentle, the kisses becoming chaste, and somehow  _ that _ was what made Erik fall apart in Eleven’s arms. 

_ Great, he’s found my biggest weakness. _ Erik wondered how long it would be, now, before Eleven would give him a casual kiss on the cheek and watch him turn into a sputtering mess. And how much longer, after that, he’d use it to embarrass him in front of the rest of the crew. In front of their  _ friends. _ The friends who had, apparently, been betting on them. 

He couldn’t wait to find out. 

**Author's Note:**

> As always, if you liked it, please drop a kudos, or a comment if you're feeling brave! Even a smiley face to let me know you enjoyed it would make me very happy!  
> (Y'all I'm serious about this, ALL comments are good comments)
> 
> [Tumblr](https://nedrynwrites.tumblr.com/)  
> Feel free to comment/message me if you have questions! I love talking to you!


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